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VoL LXXIV No. M Oaalw
Friedel graduate wins civic oration contest By Diane Azler Baam, FJ A pnbllotty A graduate of Friedel Jewish Academy wonl first place and a currentl Friedel student tookl third in the district-level I competition of the) Modern Woodmen o< America Civic Oration! Contest. This year's] theme is "My State." Jacob Katzman, a 19951 Friedel graduate, wasf district winner for his Jacob KatEmwt speech entitled "Nebraska: The Pioneer Spirit." He will compete in the state-wide contest next month. Ariel Shukert, a sixth-grader at the academy, came in third for her speech about Nebraska's trails. Students qualify for the district competition by winning oration contests in their individual schools. Jacob won the contest at Brownell-Talbot School, where he is in seventh grade. Adam Nichols, another Friedel graduate now at Brownell, was a runnerup. Secend-place winner in the Friedel contest was Rachel Katzman, whose speech was based on Nebraska's tourist attractions. "We are extremely proud of the excellence our students and graduates demonstrate in the oration arena," said Denise Bennett. Mrs. Bennett, who teaches Friedel's fourth through sixth p^des, takes charge of the academy's oration contest activities. After graduating from the academy, Rachel Shukert won the civic oration contest at Lewis & Gark Junior High School, and Robin Birt was the winner at Morton Junior High School, Mrs. Bennett recalled. In 1994, Jacob Katzman won the Friedel and district contests and went on to become one of two winners on the state-wide level, she said. Jacob's parents. Rich and Julee Katzman, attribute their son's successes to Friedel's small classes and individualized attention. "We recognize Jacob's wonderful talent, but we know, too, that his abilities were nurtured at the academy. I have seen that the warm, secure environment at Friedel helps students develop the skill and the self-confidence to apeak eloquently in public," Mrs. Katzman said. Mrs. Bennet considers the civic oration contest an extremely worth-while effort. "Students are called upon to develop a topic and organize their thoughts in a well written piece of work, even before they approach the challenge of presenting their speech effectively," she said. She said many private schools take part in the contest, while only a few public schools participate. The contest is sponsored annually in Omaha and numerous other cities by the Modem Woodmen of America Insurance Company.
Carole Greenberf (left) and LUa Manii of the JewUh Community Center Child Development Center, are two of 10 ehild care given (elected for the Outatandlng Child Care reoognltlon award for Nebraaka
9 NiMW. S7M, Bfarch M, I9M
Holocaust commemoration planned for Lincoln and Omaha The annual Nebraska Holocaust Commemoration, a two day remembrance, is scheduled to begin on April 15 in Lincoln. The first event' will feature a slide presentation by Sybil Milton about. European artists who risked their lives to record the crimes of Nazi Germany and the agony of its victims in ghettos and concentration camps, sites of resistance, and places of hiding. Dr. Milton is the senior permanent scholar-in-residence at the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. She has pubUshed studies on diverse aspects of the Holocaust, including the experiences of women, the persecution of Sinti and Roma (Gypsies), the use of photographs as historical evidence, the art produced by Jews in ghettos and concentration camps, and Holocaust memorials. The lecture and presentation will be held at Bessey Hall Auditorium (adjacent to the bell tower) on the campus of the University of NebraskaLincoln, on Monday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. This event is free, open to the public, and is sponsored by the Harris Center for Judaic Studies. On April 16 at 3:30 p.m. at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, Nobel Peace Prize winner, humanitarian, and Boston University professor, Elie Wiesel will speak on "The Seduction and Danger of Fanaticism," as part of the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues. Professor Wiesel's experience.of the Holocaust has led him to defend human rights and promote peace throughout the world. He, who has defended the causes of mcmy of the world's persecuted peoples, appears in coqjunction with an international symposium on human rights, "Contemporary Forms of Genocide." Admission is free. Culminating the two day event will be the annual Holocaust survivor's candle lighting in the Rotunda of the State Capitol on April 16 at 7:30 p.m.
The community-wide Yomi HaShoah-Holocaust commemoration will take place on Sunday April 14, at 7 p.m. at Beth Israel Synagogue. The theme of the program will be "A Test of Faith* and will involve all the area congregational rabbis and cantors. The program will fea-l ture the lighting of thel six candles, which sym-f bolize the six million! Jews who were annihilated in Nazi Europe| during World War 11. Cantor Fettman will] deliver a personal testimonial about his experi-' ences during World War! II which will soon be| published in his forth- Cantor Leo Fettman coming book entitled, "A Test of Faith." "We hope to involve the entire Jewish community in this year's Yom HaShoah commemoration including young families and teenagers", said Justin Cooper, chairman of this year's Yom HaShoah committee. "Therefore, we have arranged for free babysitting during the service at Beth Israel and we are sending out Yom HaShoah stickers to be worn on Sunday evening, April 14. We hope to have our entire Jewish community join •together in solidarity with Jewish communities around the world to commemorate the Holocaust and memorialize the six million so that evil of this magnitude will never happen again." The program is sponsored by the Jewish Cultural Arts Council and is underwritten by the Mort Richards FUnd. For further information, or if you need transportation to Beth Israel, please call Gloriann Levy at 334-6403.
Joining the generations: a men's campaign event
Holocaust documentaitit add poignancy to Oscar
Grandfathers, fathers, sons and grandsons Eure all invited to a special intergenerational event sponsored by the 1996 UJA/Federation Camptugn to be held on Tuesday, May 7 at the Marriott Hotel at 7:30 p.m. Dessert will be served and Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg from Baltimore will be the guest speaker. There is no charge, and reservations can be made by calling the Federation office at 334-6430. Tom Bernstein and Mike Platt, 1996 Campaign Co-chairmen, spoke about this unique event. "Every year, the men who work as volunteers for the UJA/Federation Campaign are invited to a wrap-up event to thank them for their involvement and to brief them on the final campaign results,' noted Mr. Bernstein. This year, that invitation is extended to all the men in the community who support the Campaign through their volunteer work and through their gifts." Mr. Platt added, "We know that the strength of our Jewish community is in our commitment to passing on the tradition of tzedaiiah from generation u> generation. "So often, when you ask someone why they make a pledge to the Annual Campaign, the answer is 'I grew up seeing my parents support the community and I want to follow that tradition so my children and grandchildren can ei\)oy the same quality of Jewish life that I had.' This intergenerational event is an opportunity for us to thank the men in our Jewish community of all ages who have been so generous with their time and support, and we can promise everyone a very entertaining and ei\joyable evaningi' •i..i«iii.JUEftit!il<ii'..:zii;', •V''!i^'..s
By Ton Tugend LOS ANGELES (JTA) - The spotlight was on the stars, but some of the most dramatic inotoents at Mondey* Academy Awards came jjurifig the cloeum«»i«ry presentations, witen the mataary of past horrors intruded on the cetlutoid iirerld oTmala-beJiiw!. "One Survivor RMnembere," prodo«ed by the UJ. Holocaust Memorial Museum, won in the 9hort Documentary oatefory for its unsparthf; lkOttri«tk(r interview with Gerda Kletn, Who survived tix years in cotuxatration camps. Klein ftoeompanied prodocer Kaiy AnUudia to the podiuqi and recalled a iime ''ititen winning meant a crust of bread.'' "Each of you who live* in fteedom is now a wbt' ner," she said. Holding back tear*, Klein added, "I have atked myself why I am hen and in my mind's eye I see •lithe others. 'Tbank you fer honoring their memory." In the Oocumentai^ Feature category, the Oeckr went to "Anne Rnuk Remembered," • film that sheds new light on the life of Anne, her fknily and the people who knew and helped her. Jon Blair, the London-bsisd writer, director and producer of the film, was accompanied to the podium by Miep Qies, the Dutch woman who sa»Mftad the Frank nuntiy during their yeturt in A »; fl^ven u -«,. •...„^s...
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